Sydney Camm Sydney Camm ▼ Primary Sources ▼ Sydney Camm Sydney Camm, the son of a carpenter, was born in Windsor, on 5th August, 1893. After leaving school Camm became an apprentice woodworker and as a hobby he made model aircraft. Camm joined the G. H. Martinsdale aeroplane company and worked there throughout the First World War . In was during this period he had his first experience of designing aircraft. In 1922 Camm joined the Hawker Engineering Company in Kingston. Starting as a senior draughtsman, he was appointed chief designer in 1924. Camm began work on the Hawker Hurricane in 1934. Like Reginald J. Mitchell , the designer of the Supermarine Spitfire Mk. I , Camm was inspired by the announcement that the Air Ministry was looking for a new fighter plane. The Hawker Hurricane prototype made its first flight on 6th November, 1935. It reached a maximum speed of more than 315 mph (506 km/h) at 16,500 ft (5,000 m).

It was therefore the first fighter plane to break the 300 mph barrier. Like the Supermarine Spitfire , the aircraft used the 1,030 hp Rolls Royce Merlin II and carried 8 machine-guns. On 3rd June, the Royal Air Force ordered 600 of these aircraft. The first of these came off the production line in October 1937. It was all-metal in structure and except for the metal nose was covered in fabric. On the outbreak of the Second World War there were 497 Hurricanes in service. The majority of these were sent to France during Germany's Western Offensive and large numbers were destroyed by the Luftwaffe . By August 1940, a total of 2309 Hawker Hurricanes had been delivered to the Royal Air Force and they formed the backbone of Fighter Command. Statistics show that Hurricanes destroyed more German aircraft than all other British types combined during the early stages of the war. At the beginning of the Battle of Britain the RAF had 32 squadrons of Hurricanes and 19 squadrons equipped with Supermarine Spitfires .

It was decided to use the Hurricanes against the massive bomber formations of the Luftwaffe whereas the Spitfires were mainly employed against German fighters. Camm also designed the Hawker Typhoon that began production in 1942 and Hawker Tempest in 1944. Throughout the war Camm made improvements to the Hurricane. This included the Hawker Hurricane Mk.II which had the more powerful 1,280 hp Rolls Royce Merlin XX and the Hawker Hurricane Mk D which carried two 20 mm cannons which were extremely effective against tanks and were used chiefly in the Desert War . After the war Camm designed jet aircraft such as the Sea Hawk and the Hunter, which won the world air speed record and remained operational for 20 years. He also designed the vertical take off and landing P-1127 Kestrel in 1958. Sydney Camm was on the board of Hawker Siddeley Aviation from 1935 until his death at Richmond, Surrey on 12th March, 1966.

Hawker Hurricane Sydney Camm | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit Sydney Camm was the eldest child of Frederick Camm, who had twelve children with Mary Smith. He attended the Royal Free School on Bachelors Acre in Windsor (The Royal Free school became the Royal Free Middle School with the secondary school becoming the Princess Margaret Royal Free School on Bourne Avenue). His brother Frederick James Camm became a technical author, and created the Practical Wireless magazine. The Camm family lived near Windsor & Eton Central railway station . Camm developed an interest in aircraft at an early age and his first interest in aeronautics was spurred on by his membership in the Windsor Model Aeroplane Club. His accomplishments as a model aeroplane builder culminated in a man-carrying glider which he and others at the club built in 1912. [1] Aviation career Edit Camm started as a carpenter's apprentice and joined the Martinsyde aircraft company. He joined the Hawker Aircraft Company (later Hawker Siddeley) at Kingston upon Thames as a senior draughtsman in 1923, becoming Chief Designer in 1925.

He took part in the design of many Hawker aircraft, including the Tomtit , Cygnet (his first Hawker plane), Hornbill , Nimrod , Hart and Fury . He then moved to designing aeroplanes that would become mainstays of the RAF in the Second World War including the Hawker Hurricane , Hawker Typhoon and Hawker Tempest . Hurricane Edit The Hawker Hurricane was designed by Sir Sydney Camm. With the Hurricane, Sydney Camm moved from the technology of the biplane to contemporary monoplane fighter aircraft. The result was that fighters flew faster, and with the improved engine technology of the time, higher, and could be made more deadly than ever. "Camm had a one-tracked mind – his aircraft were right, and everybody had to work on them to get them right. If they did not, then there was hell. He was a very difficult man to work for, but you could not have a better aeronautical engineer to work under. [...] With regard to his own staff, he did not suffer fools gladly , and at times many of us appeared to be fools.

One rarely got into trouble for doing something either in the ideas line, or in the manufacturing line, but woe betide those who did nothing, or who put forward an indeterminate solution." [2] Working with Camm at Hawker were Sir Frederick Page (later to design the English Electric Lightning ), Leslie Appleton (later to design the advanced Fairey Delta 2 and Britain's first air-to-air missile, the Fairey Fireflash ), Stuart Davies (joined Avro in 1936 and later to be chief designer of the Avro Vulcan ), Roy Chaplin (became Chief Designer at Hawker in 1957) and Sir Robert Lickley ( Chief Project Engineer during the war, and later to be Chief Engineer at Fairey). The Hawker engineer Frank Murdoch was responsible for getting the Hurricane into production in sufficient numbers before the outbreak of the war, after an eye-opening visit to MAN diesel plant in Augsburg in 1936.

A full size Hawker Hurricane replica has been placed near the River Thames, Windsor, to honour Sir Sydney Camm's aircraft Typhoon Edit Hawker Typhoon When the Typhoon's design first emerged and entered squadron service, pilots became aware that there was elevator flutter and buffetting at high speeds, due to the positioning of the heavy Napier Sabre engine intake very close to the wing root. The engineering of the aircraft to travel at higher speeds and handle compressibility effects was one of the challenges of the day, but with his small design team of one hundred members at Hawker, Camm managed to solve these problems and make the Typhoon an effective combat weapon even at these speeds. As operational requirements changed, the Typhoon was used more as a fighter-bomber, in which role its low level performance, weapon-carrying capabilities and ability to absorb damage made it very effective. It was much used in the Battle of the Falaise Pocket , in which ground-attack aircraft proved very destructive. German losses were so severe that most of France was retaken less than two weeks after the conclusion of this operation. Tempest Edit Hawker Tempest prototype The lessons learned on the Hawker Typhoon were incorporated in its successor, the Hawker Tempest .

As soon as the Typhoon entered service, the Air Ministry requested a new design. Camm recommended that they keep the existing design of the Typhoon for the most part, with modifications to the aerofoil . He also considered the new and powerful Napier Sabre and Bristol Centaurus engines as the power plant. Camm decided that both engines would be used: the Tempest Mk 5 was fitted with the Napier Sabre, while the Tempest Mk 2 had the Bristol Centaurus. The design modifications to be made to the aircraft to switch from one engine type to another were minimal, so that little assistance was needed in ferrying these aircraft all the way to India and Pakistan, in the final days of the conflict. Postwar After the Second World War , Sydney Camm created many jet-powered designs which would became important aircraft in the Cold War era. Harrier Edit Hawker P.1127 Notable among these are his contributions to the Hawker Siddeley P.1127 / Kestrel FGA.1 , the progenitor of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier .

The Harrier is a well-known vertical take-off and landing ( VTOL ) aircraft designed at Hawker Siddeley, which would later merge into the British Aircraft Corporation ( BAC ), now known as BAE Systems . The Harrier was one of the radical concept aircraft which took shape in post-war Britain, which required the coming together of many important technology, such as vectored thrust engines like the Bristol Siddeley (later Rolls-Royce) Pegasus and technologies like the Reaction Control System . Camm played a major role in determining these and other vital Harrier systems. In 1953, he was knighted for these and other achievements and his contribution to British Aviation. [3] The P.1127 first flew on 21 October 1960. Working with Camm on this aircraft and the Hunter was Prof John Fozard , who became head of the Hawker design office in 1961 and would write a biography of Camm in 1991. Hunter Edit The Hunter, designed by Sydney Camm, made its first flight in 1951.

This privately owned Hawker Hunter T.7 "Blue Diamond" is seen at speed during an air display in 2007. Camm worked on many aircraft built by Hawker before the Harrier, including what is probably his most significant aircraft after the Second World War, the Hawker Hunter . Final years Edit Camm was President of the RAeS from 1954-5. Since 1971 the RAeS has held the biennial Sir Sydney Camm Lecture in June, given by the current Commander-in-Chief of RAF Air Command . Before he died in 1966, Camm was planning the design of an aircraft to travel at Mach 4, having begun his life in aircraft design with the building of a man-carrying glider in 1912, just nine years after the first powered flight . Quotes On the cancellation in 1965 of the BAC TSR-2 : All modern aircraft have four dimensions: span, length, height and politics. TSR-2 got just the first three right... Personal life He lived at Thames Ditton in Surrey.

He married Hilda Starnes in 1915 and they had a daughter in 1922. Camm died on 12 March 1966 at the Richmond Golf Course aged 72 and he was buried in Long Ditton . See also 1000+ images about Hawker Hurricane on Pinterest | Mk1, Trainers and Air force Pinterest • The world’s catalog of ideas Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force (RAF). Although overshadowed by the Supermarine Spitfire, the aircraft became renowned during the Battle of Britain, accounting for 60% of the RAF's air victories in the battle, and served in all the major theatres of the Second World War. 29 Pins145 Followers Hawker Typhoon - World War II Power Plant: Napier Sabre IIA, IIB or IIC liquid-cooled H-24 piston engine each​ Armament 4 × 20 mm Hispano M2 cannon 8 × RP-3 unguided air-to-ground rockets 2 × 500 lb.

or 2 × 1,000 lb. bombs Hawker Typhoon - Design & Development: In early 1937, as his previous design, the Hawker Hurricane was entering production, Sydney Camm commenced work on its successor. The chief designer at Hawker Aircraft, Camm based his new fighter around the Napier Sabre engine which was capable of around 2,200 hp. A year later, his efforts found a demand when the Air Ministry issued Specification F.18/37 which called for a fighter designed around either the Sabre or the Rolls-Royce Vulture. Concerned about the reliability of the new Sabre engine, Camm created two designs, the "N" and "R" which centered on the Napier and Rolls-Royce power plants respectively. The Napier-powered design later received the name Typhoon while the Rolls-Royce-powered aircraft was dubbed Tornado. Though the Tornado design flew first, its performance proved disappointing and the project was later cancelled. To accommodate Napier Sabre, the Typhoon design featured a distinctive chin-mounted radiator. Camm's initial design utilized unusually thick wings which created a stable gun platform and allowed for ample fuel capacity.

In constructing the fuselage, Hawker employed a mix of techniques including duralumin and steel tubes forward and a flush-riveted, semi-monocoque structure aft. The aircraft's initial armament consisted of twelve .30 cal. machine guns (Typhoon IA) but was later switched to four, belt-fed 20 mm Hispano Mk II cannon (Typhoon IB). Work on the new fighter continued after the beginning of World War II in September 1939. On February 24, 1940, the first Typhoon prototype took to skies with test pilot Philip Lucas at the controls. Hawker Typhoon - Development Problems: Testing continued until May 9 when the prototype suffered an in-flight structural failure where the forward and rear fuselage met. Despite this, Lucas successfully landed the aircraft in a feat that later earned him the George Medal. Six days later, the Typhoon program suffered a setback when Lord Beaverbrook, Minister of Aircraft Production, proclaimed that wartime production should focus on the Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire , Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley, Bristol Blenheim , and Vickers Wellington.

Due to the delays imposed by this decision, a second Typhoon prototype did not fly until May 3, 1941. In flight testing, the Typhoon failed to live up to Hawker's expectations. Imagined as a mid- to high-altitude interceptor, its performance fell off quickly above 20,000 feet and Napier Sabre continued to prove unreliable. Hawker Typhoon - Early Service: Despite these problems, the Typhoon was rushed into production that summer following the appearance of the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 which quickly proved superior to the Spitfire Mk.V. As Hawker's plants were operating at near capacity, construction of the Typhoon was delegated to Gloster. Entering service with Nos. 56 and 609 Squadrons that fall, the Typhoon soon mounted a poor track record with several aircraft lost to structural failures and unknown causes. These issues were made worse by the seepage of carbon monoxide fumes into the cockpit. With the aircraft's future again under threat, Hawker spent much of 1942 working to improve the aircraft. Testing found that a problematic joint could lead to the Typhoon's tail tearing away during flight.

This was fixed by reinforcing the area with steel plates. In addition, as the Typhoon's profile was similar to the Fw 190 it was the victim of several friendly fire incidents. To rectify this, the type was painted with high visibility black and white stripes under the wings. In combat, the Typhoon proved effective in countering the Fw 190 particularly at lower altitudes. As a result, the Royal Air Force began mounting standing patrols of Typhoons along the southern coast of Britain. While many remained skeptical of the Typhoon, some, such as Squadron Leader Roland Beamont, recognized its merits and championed the type due to its speed and toughness. After testing at Boscombe Down in mid-1942, the Typhoon was cleared to carry two 500 lb. bombs. Subsequent experiments saw this doubled to two 1,000 lb. bombs a year later. As result, bomb-equipped Typhoons began reaching frontline squadrons in September 1942. Nicknamed "Bombphoons," these aircraft began striking targets across the English Channel.

Hawker Typhoon - An Unexpected Role: Excelling in this role, the Typhoon soon saw the mounting of additional armor around the engine and cockpit as well as the installation of drop tanks to allow it to penetrate further into enemy territory. As operational squadrons honed their ground attack skills during 1943, efforts were made to incorporate RP3 rockets into the aircraft's arsenal. These proved successful and in September the first rocket-equipped Typhoons appeared. Capable of carrying eight RP3 rockets, this type of Typhoon soon became the backbone of the RAF's Second Tactical Air Force. Though the aircraft could switch between rockets and bombs, squadrons were typically specialized in one or the other to simplify supply lines. In early 1944, Typhoon squadrons commenced attacks against German communications and transportation targets in northwest Europe as a precursor to the Allied invasion. As the new Hawker Tempest fighter arrived on scene, the Typhoon was largely transitioned to the ground attack role. With the landing of Allied troops in Normandy on June 6, Typhoon squadrons began providing close support. RAF forward air controllers traveled with the ground forces and were able to call in Typhoon air support from squadrons loitering in the area.

Striking with bombs, rockets, and cannon fire, Typhoon attacks had a debilitating effect on enemy morale. Playing a key role in the Normandy Campaign, the Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower , later singled out the contributions the Typhoon made to the Allied victory. Shifting to bases in France, the Typhoon continued to provide support as Allied forces raced east. Hawker Typhoon - Later Service: In December 1944, Typhoons helped turn the tide during the Battle of Bulge and mounted countless raids against German armored forces. As spring 1945 began, the aircraft provided support during Operation Varsity as Allied airborne forces landing east of the Rhine. In the war's final days, Typhoons sank the merchant vessels Cap Arcona, Thielbeck, and Deutschland in the Baltic Sea. Unknown to the RAF, Cap Arcona carried around 5,000 prisoners taken from German concentration camps. With the end of the war, the Typhoon was quickly retired from service with the RAF. During the course of its career, 3,317 Typhoons were built.

Selected Sources Hawker Tempest - World War II Power Plant: 1 × Napier Sabre IIA or IIB or IIC liquid-cooled H-24 sleeve-valve engine: 2,180 hp Armament 4 × 20 mm Mark II Hispano cannons 2 × 500 lb. or 1 × 1,000 lb. bombs 8 × 3 in. RP-3 rockets 2 × 45 gal. or 2 × 90 gal. drop tanks. Hawker Tempest - Design & Development: In 1937, with his earlier design, the Hawker Hurricane , moving into production, Sydney Camm commenced work on its replacement. Dubbed the Hawker Typhoon , this aircraft was rushed into service late in 1941 to counter the new Focke-Wulf Fw 190 . Though an effective fighter at lower altitudes, the Typhoon experienced a rapid drop in performance above 20,000 feet. As a result, it proved incapable of fully replacing either the Hurricane or the Supermarine Spitfire .

Tracing the problem to its unusually thick wings, Camm and his team began designing an evolution of the Typhoon. To solve the performance issue, the team took inspiration from the low drag laminar flow wings being developed for the North American P-51 Mustang . Finalizing their initial design in October 1941, they received an order from the Air Ministry for two Typhoon Mark II prototypes a month later. Re-designating the aircraft "Tempest" in January 1942, the order was altered to six prototypes with varying power plants due to problems in securing engines. Of these, the Napier Sabre II-powered Mark V and the Centaurus IV-powered Mark II were selected for further development. The former possessed the distinctive chin radiator found on the Typhoon and first flew on September 2, 1942. The latter, utilizing the air-cooled, radial Centaurus engine possessed a different look with a closely-cowled nose that was similar to the Fw 190. First flying on June 28, 1943, development of the Mark II proceeded more slowly due to mechanical issues and a desire to tropicalize the aircraft for use in the South-East Asian Theater.

Both models were armed with four 20 mm cannons in the wings and possessed hard points for rockets and bombs. Also, the Tempest routinely carried two 45-gallon drop tanks to extend the aircraft's range. Proceeding more rapidly, work on the Mark V moved forward and the first production aircraft rolled off the line on June 21, 1943. The initial Mark II was not delivered until over a year later on October 4, 1944. These were followed by the Tempest Mark VI which utilized the Napier Sabre V engine. All told, 1,702 Tempest of all types were constructed. Hawker Tempest - Mark V Enters Combat: Entering service with No. 3 and No. 486 (NZ) Squadrons in April 1944, the Tempest Mark V was the only variant to see combat during World War II . After some initial issues with the aircraft's propeller, it first engaged German aircraft on June 8, two days after Allied forces landed in Normandy . Clashing with Messerschmitt Bf 109Gs , the Tempests engaged downed three enemy fighters while sustaining no losses.

Equipping the squadrons of 150 Wing, the Tempest routinely conducted long-range fighter sweeps over enemy territory as well as anti-shipping attacks. With the beginning of V-1 flying bomb attacks on London on June 13, the aircraft was switched over air defense missions. As the Royal Air Force's fastest fighter, it proved effective in combating the V-1. In fulfilling this role, Tempests ultimately downed 638 of the flying bombs. As the V-1 threat receded in September, Tempests began flying in support of Operation Market Garden which saw Allied airborne forces attempt to seize several bridges in the Netherlands. In addition, the aircraft returned to armed reconnaissance and long-range fighter sweep missions. When flying the former, Tempests would routinely seek out German ground targets, such as trains and truck convoys, for attack. Striking with cannon fire, bombs, and rockets, pilots inflicted significant damage on German forces through the latter part of 1944 and early 1945. In addition, the Tempest frequently flew against the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter.

Scrambling when word arrived that Me 262s were airborne, Tempest pilots would attempt to attack the jets as they returned to their bases. This was due to the Me 262's poor performance at low speeds which provided an advantage to the British pilots. To counter the threat posed by the Tempest, the Germans began constructing heavy flak batteries under the landing approaches to their bases. During the course of the war in Europe, Tempest pilots achieved an overall success ratio of 7:1 against enemy aircraft. Hawker Tempest - Later Service: While the Mark V was achieving notoriety in the skies over Europe, work continued on the Mark II. These aircraft were intended for use in the Pacific where they would have flown as part of the British Very Long Range Bomber Force. The war against Japan ended before this command was deployed and the RAF reduced the number of Mark IIs ordered. Retained after the war, the Tempest was the RAF's last piston-engine fighter and left service in 1951. Several aircraft saw later service as target tugs. Other Tempests were sold abroad where they flew in the air forces of India and Pakistan.

Selected Sources Hurricane | airplane | Britannica.com Hurricane fighter aircraft Hurricane, British single-seat fighter aircraft manufactured by Hawker Aircraft, Ltd., in the 1930s and ’40s. The Hurricane was numerically the most important British fighter during the critical early stages of World War II , sharing victory laurels with the Supermarine Spitfire in the Battle of Britain (1940–41) and the defense of Malta (1941–42). Hurricanes served in all theatres of war where British forces were engaged. The Hurricane emerged from efforts by Sydney Camm, Hawker’s chief designer, to develop a high-performance monoplane fighter and from a March 1935 Air Ministry requirement calling for an unprecedented heavy armament of eight wing-mounted 0.303-inch (7.7-mm) machine guns. Designed around a 1,200-horsepower, 12-cylinder, in-line Rolls-Royce engine soon to be dubbed the Merlin , the Hurricane was an evolutionary development of earlier Camm designs, notably the Fury biplane fighter.

A low-wing monoplane with retractable landing gear, the Hurricane, aside from its clean lines and heavy armament, was a conventional design. Its wings, rear fuselage, and tail surfaces were covered by fabric, though the fabric wing-covering soon gave way to aluminum. The first Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter capable of exceeding 300 miles (480 km) per hour in level flight, the plane had excellent flight characteristics. Hurricanes began entering squadron service in late 1937, and some 500 were on hand when Germany invaded Poland in September 1939. Hurricanes bore the brunt of air-to-air fighting in the Battle of France (May–June 1940), and Hurricanes equipped 30 squadrons (to 19 Spitfire squadrons) at the start of the Battle of Britain . The Hurricane I, the version that fought the battle, had a maximum speed of 330 miles (530 km) per hour (though in practice this could be as low as 305 miles [490 km] per hour) and a ceiling of 36,000 feet (10,980 metres).

Slower than the Spitfire, the Hurricane fought at a disadvantage to the German Bf 109 in climb and dive but proved to be a potent bomber destroyer, the concentrated fire of its eight machine guns literally sawing Luftwaffe bombers in half on occasion. In addition, the Hurricane was a forgiving aircraft to fly; this and its wide-set landing gear minimized landing accidents. Finally, the Hurricane’s conventional construction lent itself to speedy repair of battle damage, and shot-up Hurricanes returning quickly to service made an appreciable contribution to victory. Similar Topics Fw 190 Later models of the Hurricane exploited the steadily increasing power of the Merlin engine to carry heavier armament, so that, though it was superseded as a front-line interceptor by 1941, it remained a capable fighter-bomber. The Hurricane II was built in two main variants, one mounting no fewer than 12 0.303-inch machine guns in the wings and the other mounting four 0.8-inch (20-mm) automatic cannons. Hurricanes were equipped with sand filters for service in the North African desert and with tail hooks and strengthened empennages for duty as Sea Hurricane carrier-fighters.

Fitted with underwing bomb shackles, Hurricane fighter-bombers served in North Africa and remained in front-line service in Burma (Myanmar) and India through war’s end. Later versions were modified to carry launching rails for air-to-ground rockets; some carried a pair of underwing 1.6-inch (40-mm) cannons. Perhaps the most bizarre use of Hurricanes was as “Hurricats,” launched by rocket-powered catapult from merchant ships on one-way missions to defend North Atlantic convoys from German patrol bombers. Hurricanes were exported in small numbers to Belgium , Yugoslavia , Romania , and Turkey . More than 14,000 planes were manufactured before production was halted in 1944, some 1,400 of them by the Canadian Car & Foundry Company. In the dark days of early 1942, Hurricanes were exported to the Soviet Union , and RAF Hurricane units actually served for a brief time with the Red Air Force in the far north. Hurricanes were credited with shooting down more than 1,500 Luftwaffe aircraft in the critical first year of the war, a total barely exceeded by all other British aircraft combined.

2nd DVD Review- The Hawker Hurricane: World War II from Primary Sources - AviationBookReviews.Com 2nd DVD Review- The Hawker Hurricane: World War II from Primary Sources English 5060247620961 This DVD I recently encountered somewhere on the internet and because I became interested in aircraft from the time of WO II through trips in Tiger Moths, I bought this one. The DVD shows the history of the ‘Hawker Hurricane’ which was designed by Sydney Camm and from 1937 flown through countless countries, but mainly […] This DVD I recently encountered somewhere on the internet and because I became interested in aircraft from the time of WO II through trips in Tiger Moths, I bought this one. The DVD shows the history of the ‘Hawker Hurricane’ which was designed by Sydney Camm and from 1937 flown through countless countries, but mainly through the United Kingdom. Together with the Spitfire, this aircraft caused that the ‘Battle of Britain’ was won. 60% of the victories in this air war were for the account of the Hurricanes.

Because this barely 5 months during air war was won by the allied, was this very crucial for the further course of WO II. Almost impossible to imagine is that there were nearly 15.000 of these aircraft, built in all kinds of types and flown across the whole world. By the way, did you know that these aircraft could come above the 10km altitude and could develop a speed of more than 500km/per hour thanks to almost 1200pk of power? Almost not imaginable! Imagine that to be put in a Cessna! What I found particularly interesting about this DVD and the history of the development of this aircraft is that one and other was introduced with a development piece of ‘war aircraft’ during WO I and the years that followed. It became apparent during the time of WO I that the party who had the force majeure in the air also had a greater chance to win the war. The DVD contains a huge amount of authentic images from both World Wars and the world record attempts that were done in between that time, by different countries.

These images were in that time of course not made with ‘go-pro-like’ cameras, which is something you have to get settled into at the start of the DVD. Our nowadays eye is spoiled! The whole history is commented in good English and gives you a proper view of the era of this beautiful aircraft. All in all an interesting DVD with a high propeller- and war content. Photo’s from Wikipedia Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIC | National Air and Space Museum National Air and Space Museum Hawker Hurricane IIC on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center. Display Status: This object is on display in the World War II Aviation (UH) exhibition at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. SummaryLong Description Collection Item Summary: Hawker Chief Designer Sydney Camm's Hurricane ranks with the most important aircraft designs in military aviation history. Designed in the late 1930s, when monoplanes were considered unstable and too radical to be successful, the Hurricane was the first British monoplane fighter and the first British fighter to exceed 483 kilometers (300 miles) per hour in level flight.

Hurricane pilots fought the Luftwaffe and helped win the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940. This Mark IIC was built at the Langley factory, near what is now Heathrow Airport, early in 1944. It served as a training aircraft during the World War II in the Royal Air Force's 41 OTU. Collection Item Long Description: Hawker Chief Designer Sydney Camm's Hurricane fighter ranks with the most important aircraft designs in military aviation history. Hurricanes proved vital to win the Battle of Britain during the summer of 1940, when the Nazi Blitzkrieg seemed unstoppable. These airplanes also performed other roles flying on nearly every front until the end of the war. The Hurricane was the first British monoplane fighter aircraft, and the first British fighter to exceed 483 kph (300 mph) in level flight. That it was designed and built at all was a major undertaking that literally flew in the face of conventional aeronautical wisdom in the mid-1930s. At that time, the biplane was omnipresent and monoplanes were considered unstable and too radical to be successful fighter aircraft.

In 1925, Camm was appointed Chief Designer of the H. G. Hawker Engineering Company, the forerunner of Hawker Aircraft Ltd. During that same year, Camm designed a monoplane fighter and although it was not built, he realized that biplane fighters could not be designed to go faster than monoplanes. Two wings simply generated more drag than a single wing. It was time for a radical advance in fighter technology. In 1933, under Camm's direction, the Hawker design team began work on a new monoplane fighter and informal design proposals were made to the Air Ministry in August 1935. Camm and his team proposed a single-wing adaptation of the highly successful Hawker Fury biplane. They selected a liquid-cooled, 660 horsepower Rolls-Royce Goshawk engine to power the new aircraft. It was called the Fury Monoplane. Soon a new powerplant, forerunner of the legendary Rolls-Royce Merlin, was proposed for this airplane.

Camm revised the design, based on this new engine, and introduced a wide track, hand-operated, retractable landing gear, a retracting tail wheel, and an enclosed cockpit. These features reduced drag even further and made the aircraft faster. More modifications and refinements followed and on September 4, 1934, Camm submitted a new, revised design known as the Interceptor Monoplane. A mock-up was begun later that year. Official approval for a prototype was given in February 1935 and the military serial number K5083 was assigned to this revolutionary airplane. The Interceptor Monoplane was a blend of the old and new. It was a monoplane with retractable landing gear but the internal airframe structure reverted to the formula Hawker had proven on all his biplanes: tubular metal cross braced sections covered with fabric. While the prototype was under construction, another new specification was issued, causing a design change from a four-machine gun armament system to a scheme that used eight, license-built, American .303 caliber, Browning weapons.

A Rolls Royce Merlin, twelve-cylinder, 990 horsepower engine driving a two-blade, fixed-pitch wooden propeller, supplied power. Despite early engine difficulties, the new aircraft proved to have excellent potential. It flew for the first time on November 6, 1935. Flight trials began immediately but engine troubles continued to plague the aircraft and the Merlin engine was continuously upgraded to increase performance and reliability. Camm had started out with the Merlin C series engine, then tried the F series, known as the Merlin I, and then the Merlin II. The Merlin III, developing 1,030 horsepower, became the most satisfactory engine variant and it powered most of the early production aircraft. As prototype evaluation continued, Hawker received an unprecedented contract order for 600 aircraft on June 3, 1936. This was one of the largest production orders ever placed for a single military aircraft design during peacetime. On the 27th, the name Hurricane was officially adopted. Hawker was expecting production orders so the company had already began to tool their production lines to build the airplane.

They made 40 within three months and a short time later, the Royal Air Force (RAF) accepted their first Hurricane. In December 1937, ten weeks after the first flight of a production Hurricane I on October 12, 1937, the first RAF squadron to convert to the new fighter, No. 111 at Northolt, traded in their Gloster Gauntlets biplanes for the new monoplanes. Hawker never paused in flight-testing improvements to the fighter and in 1939, the company began using the variable-pitch, three-bladed propeller. This technology significantly increased the Hurricane's climb performance and service ceiling. This relentless pace of production, the introduction to service, and continued flight-testing was driven initially by the threat of war posed by Nazi Germany. When Hitler invaded Poland in 1939, the Hurricane joined the fight. Hurricane pilots drew first blood for the RAF during air battles fought over France. Flying a Hurricane, Pilot Officer P. W. O. Mould of No. 1 Squadron, RAF, destroyed a Dornier Do17 (German twin-engine bomber) on October 30, 1939.

Soon several Hurricane squadrons were heavily engaged with German aircraft but the Luftwaffe (German air force) outnumbered the smaller force of British fighters and inflicted heavy casualties. The Hurricane's most important role in World War II came a few months later during the Battle of Britain, fought between July and October 1940. On the eve of this great battle for England's survival as a free country, the British could muster only 26 Hurricane I squadrons. In addition to Hurricanes, there were 19 Supermarine Spitfire squadrons and 10 other fighter squadrons equipped with Defiants and Blenheims. Once the battle began, these latter two aircraft quickly proved utterly inferior to the Messerschmitt Bf 109. All together, RAF Fighter Command had about 720 serviceable Hurricanes, Spitfires, and other combat airplanes. Against them stood a force of about 2,000 Luftwaffe aircraft, flush with sweeping victories over every air force in Europe that had opposed them. For Hitler's Luftwaffe, the primary goal of the great contest about to unfold was to engage and destroy all RAF fighter aircraft in the air or on the ground.

Once this was accomplished, Hitler could launch Operation Sealion, the amphibious invasion of Great Britain, unopposed by the RAF. The Luftwaffe would then revert to its earlier role as the air component of Blitzkrieg, or Lightning War. German fighters, in conjunction with level bombers such as the Heinkel 111, and the Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber, would work in direct support of the German Army's tank and infantry forces by attacking British troops, tanks, and fortifications. The battle for air superiority over England saw RAF Fighter Command devise a strategy for singling out the German bombers. They assigned Hurricane squadrons to concentrate on the bombers while the faster Spitfires engaged the escorting fighters. This tactic was determined by the differences in performance between the Spitfire and the Hurricane. The primary German fighter airplane, the Messerschmitt Bf109, outclassed the Hawker fighter in speed and armament; the difference was small enough that many times the outcome depended upon individual pilot skills. The Hurricane did enjoy several advantages over the Bf 109.

It could out-turn the German fighter at all operational altitudes, it could sustain more damage and return to base, and when battle damage was so severe that a crash-landing became unavoidable, the Hurricane usually fell on friendly territory. The Hurricane's sturdy tubular construction allowed many machines to survive combat and return quickly to the fight. The Battle of Britain ended in early November when Göring ordered the Luftwaffe to switch to bombing cities, ports, and factories at night. The sea borne invasion was called off and Hitler turned his attention east to plan the invasion of Russia. It had been a near thing for Britain. The RAF nearly ran out of pilots and serviceable aircraft. Mechanics patched together every Hurricane and Spitfire that could stagger back into the air but losses were terrific. Between July 10 and October 31, the Germans lost 1,733 aircraft to the RAF. The Royal Air Force lost 915 airplanes and 415 pilots. Hurricane production figures reveal the airplane's critical importance to the RAF.

Every week of the battle, Hurricane losses exceeded that of any other fighter type, yet the Air Ministry consistently ordered more Hurricanes built than any other type of fighters (Spitfires, Blenheims, and Defiants). As the Battle of Britain ended, Hawker continued to modify and improve the Hurricane. At the same time, several Hurricane squadrons learned night fighter tactics and many Hurricanes were modified to fly and fight in darkness and bad weather. Others were fitted with tropical filters and sent overseas to the Mediterranean. Hawker also sold Hurricanes to Yugoslavia, Belgium, Iran, Rumania, Turkey, and Poland. Early in 1941, the Royal Yugoslavian Air Force replaced the Merlin engine with a Daimler Benz DB601A. After flight trials, Yugoslavian test pilot claimed the German engine was superior to the Merlin. Hurricanes also fought in Malta and the western desert of North Africa. The Hurricane even went to sea aboard CAM (Catapult Aircraft Merchantmen) ships. These hastily modified sea-borne interceptors were nicknamed 'Hurricats.' The Hawker design staff wanted to increase engine power without interrupting production, so they selected a new, more powerful version of the Merlin.

The new Merlin XX engine was only slightly larger than earlier versions, yet it generated 1,280 horsepower and a maximum speed in the Hurricane of 550 kph (342 mph). This new version was called the Hurricane II and a prototype first flew on June 11, 1940. Armament was increased from eight guns (Mark IIA) to twelve guns (Mark IIB). The biggest weapons modification came with the Mark IIC Hurricane. A specification dating back to 1935 had called for a fighter armed with four 20mm cannons. After initial test results proved successful, Hawker began building the Mark IIC in 1941 equipped with a very potent battery of four 20 mm Oerlikon cannons, and more than 4,700 examples of this Hurricane were built. Several other variants of the Hurricane appeared including the Mark IID with two 40mm cannons mounted under the wings. Most of the Mark IID's were shipped to the Middle East, North Africa and Burma, and one squadron flew them in northern Europe.

The Mark IV Hurricane showed little difference from the Mark II series, but it had improved armor and universal wing mounts for various ground attack roles. Several other versions of the Hurricane were created including Sea Hurricanes designed for convoy escort and equipped with arresting hooks. From 1936 until production ended in September 1944, Hawker, Gloster, Canadian Car and Foundry, and Fairey built 14,233 Hurricanes. One of the last Hurricanes built was purchased by the Hawker Company and named "The Last of the Many." It is maintained in flying condition to this day. The National Air and Space Museum owns a Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIC bearing RAF serial number LF686. Hawker built this fighter at the Langley factory, near Slough, Buckinghamshire, just six miles from what is now called Heathrow airport, early in 1944. It was part of the last RAF Hurricane order for about 1,300 aircraft. On March 14, 1944, the RAF moved LF686 to No. 5 Maintenance Unit at RAF Kemble airfield for installation of operational equipment. The fighter was delivered to No.

41 Operational Training Unit at RAF Hawarden airfield in Cheshire on April 15, 1944. It served in this OTU until the RAF reclassified the aircraft a maintenance training airframe, number 5270M, on June 27, 1945, and transferred it to RAF Maintenance Command at Chilbolton, Hampshire, where it was used to train mechanics. At some point the original engine was probably removed. In July 1948, the RAF issued the Hurricane to No. 7 School for Recruit Training, RAF Bridgenorth. Another Merlin XX was installed and the fighter was placed outdoors, opposite the guardroom. Sometime later, the entire airplane was painted silver. In 1963, Bridgenorth closed its doors and LF686 moved to RAF Colherne for overhaul and storage. During the late 1960s, the Smithsonian arranged to trade a stock Hawker Typhoon to the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon in exchange for Hawker Hurricane LF686. An RAF transport hauled the fighter to the U. S. in 1969.

Specialists at the Garber Facility began restoring the airplane in 1989 and finished the project eleven years later. The fighter is on display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. Data Source Hawker Hurricane RAF - YouTube Hawker Hurricane RAF Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Oct 2, 2015 The Hawker Hurricane designed by Sydney Camm and manufactured by Hawker Aircraft is a British single seat fighter aircraft. The Hawker Hurricane served all the major theatres of World War II and became well-known during the Battle of Britain accounting for 60% of the RAF's air victories. The maiden flight of the Hawker Hurricane took place on the 6th of November 1935 and it went into service on the 25th of December 1937. Primary users were the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force. There were approx.

14,583 Hawker Hurricane produced between 1937 and 1944. Category Windsor Hurricane - Sir Sydney Camm Commemorative Society Sir Sydney Camm Commemorative Society Supporters The Windsor Hurricane The long awaited full-size replica of a Battle of Britain Fighter aircraft has been erected in Windsor near the town's popular Alexandra Gardens. Designed by Windsorian Sir Sydney Camm, the Hawker Hurricane was unveiled on the Thames promenade on Friday 20th July 2012. The cost of the memorial, which has been in planning since 2006 is being funded by developer contributions through the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead. The council is in full support of the project as a fascinating, historical attraction for residents and visitors alike. Sir Sydney, renowned throughout the world of aviation as the ‘Brunel of aero engineers’ was born in Windsor and lived in Alma Road. The son of a carpenter’s apprentice, he was educated at the Royal Free School in Bachelors Acre and, without any formal engineering training, rose to become arguably the world’s greatest aeronautical engineer with 50 aircraft designs to his name and over 26000 aeroplanes built.

His interest in aviation started at a young age with model aircraft building before selling them to the boys at Eton College. The Hurricane, Camm’s most produced aircraft by far was known as the ‘work horse’ of the Battle of Britain and shot down more enemy aircraft throughout World War II than all other types of aircraft combined. Manufactured in Langley, the then new breed of fighter aircraft gave the Royal Air Force a much needed head start in defending Britain’s skies against the overwhelming air power of Nazi Germany when war broke out in 1939. The following summer the RAF managed to repel what historians widely agree as the most serious threat to this country’s survival since William the Conqueror as the Battle of Britain played out over the green fields of southern England and the Channel. Whilst the legendary Spitfire received most acclaim, it was the easier to fly Hurricane that shot down the most aircraft and from an engineering point was most easily repaired and more quickly returned to battle - brilliant design features which made pilots and groundcrew love the aeroplane.

In addition to the major local events next year – the Olympics and Diamond Jubilee celebrations – 2012 also marks the 70th anniversary of another of Camm’s famous designs, the Hawker Tempest, and 80 years since he was made Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society. The site, near the Royal Borough’s popular Alexandra Gardens, was seen as a natural home for the Hurricane monument within a few hundred yards of Camm’s former Windsor home in Alma Road The Sir Sydney Camm Commemorative Society, which has been campaigning for the monument, advised the Royal Borough on the project. Captain John Foster, a former RAF Fighter pilot and the Society’s chairman, said: “Fortunately forWindsor, the council recognises the significance of Camm as a crucially important historic figure, both nationally and locally, and has ensured a successful conclusion to the monument’s establishment”. ”This monument, will serve as an inspiration to young people as to what can be achieved with hard work and dedication”. Cllr Dee Quick, the Royal Borough’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for Windsor, said she was delighted to welcome this much-looked-forward-to memorial to the town.

Cllr Quick said: “Windsor is proud of its close associations with Sir Sydney Camm – a man whose engineering and design brilliance played a key role in this country’s defence during the Second World War. The council is delighted to be involved with the society in making this memorial a reality and I am sure it will be a tremendous attraction for people of all ages in the years to come.” - - - This is a fitting tribute to the man and the machine that provided the key to victory in the Battle of Britain in 1940. There is also be a commemorative Plaque inscribed with the key members and core contributors to this wonderful and inspiring memorial. The ongoing interest generated by this project will be used to support and encourage local children to become involved in Engineering and Aerospace in recognition of the importance of these professional fields to the UK. This monument was be manufactured by:GateGuards (UK) Ltd and painted by:AkzoNobel Create a free website

Question: Which World War II aircraft was designed in 1937 by Sydney Camm?
Answer: HAWKER HURRICANE